English 345 Studies in Film: American Independent Film Spring Description. Course Goals and Methodology. Requirements

Transcription

1 English 345 Studies in Film: American Independent Film Spring 2011 Instructr: Kimberlee Gillis-Bridges Class: M, 2:30-5:20 p.m.; TTH, 2:30-4:20 p.m. Lcatin: Mary Gates 251 (M); Mary Gates 271 (TTH) Office: Padelfrd A-305 Phne: Office Hurs: Tuesday and Thursday, 12:30-1:30, and by appintment Class Web Page: Descriptin What cnstitutes independent film in an era where bth filmmakers wh distribute their wrk nline and butique divisins within Hllywd studis lay claim t the term? English 345 addresses this questin by examining the narrative, stylistic, industrial and cultural aspects f cntemprary U.S. independent film. We will begin by examining the early wrk f Jhn Cassavetes, the father f American independent film befre turning t the burgening f independent cinema that began in the mid 1980s. In additin t viewing films in class, students will attend selected screenings at the Seattle Internatinal Film Festival. Curse Gals and Methdlgy Students in the curse wrk tward several gals: learning hw t read film frmally, cntextually and idelgically and develping as critical thinkers and writers. By the end f the curse, students shuld be able t: T identify narrative and frmal techniques that define U.S. independent film. T analyze hw filmmakers use artistic strategies t achieve a range f effects. T cmpse written arguments fcused n the artistic, industrial, r idelgical significance f selected films and supprt thse arguments with sufficient and apprpriate evidence. T engage the wrk f film schlars, critically respnding t their ideas in discussin and writing. Curse activities prmte active learning, with mst class sessins including a mix f mini-lectures, discussin, and grup wrk. My rle is t prvide the tls and resurces; yu will need t advance yur wn thinking and writing. I will pse questins, design activities t help yu think thrugh these questins, and respnd t yur ideas. Yur rle is t d the hard wrk the critical reading, discussin, and writing. Yu will analyze films, generate ideas in electrnic and face-t-face discussins, verbally analyze film clips, and cnstruct written arguments. Requirements Class Participatin Class discussin cnstitutes ne key methd f develping yur analytical skills. Thus, I expect prmpt, regular attendance and active participatin in discussins f films and readings. Yu shuld cme prepared fr each class sessin with assigned reading cmpleted. Yu shuld als plan t ask questins, make cmments, summarize critical arguments, analyze clips, paraphrase yur electrnic pstings, r cntribute t small-grup discussins. Like all skills, speaking in class becmes easier with practice. I d nt expect fully plished analyses in class discussin; rather, yur cntributins represent ideas fr further develpment. Electrnic Film Respnses Students will use the class psting bard t pst respnses t films and readings. Each week, I will pse questins n curse texts. In a 250- t 300-wrd respnse, yu may address ne f my questins r intrduce anther pint. Feel free t engage yur classmates ideas as yu write. The electrnic pstings allw us t extend class cnversatins, raise issues fr in-class discussins, and develp ideas fr presentatins, the clip anntatin and essays. Yur pstings receive pints n a credit/n credit basis, with full pints granted t n-time pstings that meet the length requirement

2 and demnstrate serius engagement with the questins prvided. Please nte that yu are excused frm submitting a respnse n yur presentatin film, althugh yu may d s fr extra credit. T access the electrnic discussin bard, g t the curse web site, click n Discuss, and fllw the instructins. I have divided the class int tw grups t keep the discussin manageable: Grup One: Students with last names A thrugh L Grup Tw: Students with last names M thrugh Z Clip Anntatin During the furth week f the term, yu will create an nline text and/r vide analysis f hw elements f editing, cinematgraphy, mise-en-scene and sund functin in a clip frm Easy Rider, Faces, Pulp Fictin, sex, lies and videtape, r Shadws. Presentatin Students will wrk tgether in grups f tw r three t create a 20- t 25-minute cllabrative analysis f a selected curse film. The presentatin shuld fcus n the frmal, thematic, r idelgical significance f the film and shuld apply cncepts frm the reading due n the presentatin date. Presenters must use visual aids (PwerPint, film clips, screen shts, transparencies, handuts) t structure their remarks and underscre key pints. Grups shuld cnclude their presentatins with tw r three questins fr class discussin. Because ur curse texts are quite challenging, grups shuld meet with me t discuss their ideas befre the presentatin date. Essays Yu will cmpse tw five- t six-page essays n assigned tpics; yur secnd essay requires yu t incrprate material frm curse readings. I will be available t discuss ideas-in-prgress and drafts. Yu can als seek feedback frm cnsultants at the CLUE Writing Center in the Mary Gates Cmmns; r the Odegaard Writing and Research Center in Odegaard Undergraduate Library. Please title, paginate, and duble-space yur essays, and set margins at ne inch. In the upper left hand crner f the first page, include yur name, the curse number, the assignment, and the due date; this infrmatin shuld be single-spaced. Please use a 10- r 12-pint Arial, Bkman, Century Schlbk, r Times New Rman fnt fr yur papers. When citing surces, use MLA frmat. Yu will submit the essays via the curse Cllect It tl. Plicies Lateness Plicy I will nt accept late electrnic pstings r presentatins. Late clip anntatins and essays will receive a 10-pint deductin per day late, including weekends and hlidays. I will make exceptins t the lateness plicy nly in cases f dcumented illness r family emergency. Technlgy glitches d nt cnstitute valid excuses fr lateness. T avid cmputer prblems, yu shuld save frequently while wrking, and yu shuld back up wrk saved t a hard drive n a flash drive r yur Dante accunt. If the psting bard r Cllect It breaks dwn, yur wrk directly t me. Plagiarism Plicy In yur electrnic film respnses, clip anntatin, essays, and presentatin, yu may draw upn the ideas and wrds f ther writers. Hwever, yu must make clear t yur audience that yu are incrprating anther s wrk by placing qutatin marks arund exact wrds and citing the authr s name whenever yu qute, summarize r paraphrase. Failure t credit surces may result in a failing grade fr the assignment, a failing grade fr the curse, r expulsin frm the university. The curse links page cntains infrmatin n when and hw t cite surces.

3 and Access t Curse Web Site Yu must have a UW Net ID, a wrking accunt and a way t access the curse web site. I frequently uplad schedule changes, film clips, assignment guidelines, and grading criteria t the web site. The site als cntains links and sample student wrk nt distributed in class. Texts Films All curse films are n reserve at the Odegaard Media Library. While yu may nt check ut reserve films, yu may view them at the Media Library. Dead Man (Jim Jarmusch, 1995, 121 D the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989, 120 Easy Rider (Dennis Hpper, 1969, 95 Faces (Jhn Cassavetes, 1968, 130 Far Frm Heaven (Tdd Haynes, 2002, 107 Humpday (Lynn Sheltn, 2009, 94 Inland Empire (David Lynch, 2006, 180 My Own Private Idah (Gus van Sant, 1991, 104 Pulp Fictin (Quentin Tarantin, 1994, 154 Pisn (Tdd Haynes, 1991, 119 The Puffy Chair (Jay and Mark Duplass, 2005, 85 sex, lies, and videtape (Steven Sderbergh, 1989, 100 Shadws (Jhn Cassavetes, 1959, 81 Winter s Bne (Debra Granik, 2010, 100 Textbks Nichls, Bill. Engaging Cinema: An Intrductin t Film Studies. New Yrk: W.W. Nrtn & Cmpany, Print. Reading Packet fr English 345, Vlume 1. Available at Prfessinal Cpy 'N Print, 4200 University Way. Online Reading Packet fr English 345. Available at Grading Grades in English 345 will be cmputed by pints, with 400 pints equaling a 4.0, 300 pints a 3.0, and s n. If yur ttal falls between grades, I will rund up if yu scre ne t five pints belw the higher grade and rund dwn if yu scre ne t fur pints abve the lwer grade. Fr example, 274 pints equals a 2.7 and 275 pints a 2.8. Students wh scre less than 65 pints ttal will receive a 0 fr the curse, as the UW grading system des nt scale grades lwer than.7. Apart frm pstings, which are graded n a credit/n credit basis, pints fr each assignment will be awarded based n quality f wrk submitted. I will distribute grading criteria with all assignments. Each cmpnent f the curse is wrth the fllwing number f pints: Essays: 160 pints Class Participatin: 60 pints Presentatin: 40 pints Electrnic Film Respnses: 80 pints Clip Anntatin: 60 pints

4 Schedule This schedule may be altered at any pint in the term at the instructr s discretin. Students must cmplete required readings and film screenings by the time class meets n the dates indicated. CP indicates a reading frm the curse packet, "CP Online" a reading frm the nline curse packet. Date Activity Reading Due 3/28 Curse intrductin 3/29 Screening: Shadws (Cassavetes, 1959, 81 3/31 Discuss Shadws and histry f U.S. independent film Nichls, Chapter 1, Film as a Language (29-69) Carney, Selves in the Making: Shadws (CP 1-24) Cmplete nline student survey by nn Respnse t Shadws due by nn via GPst Presentatin assignment intrduced 4/1-4/3 Screen Easy Rider (Hpper, 1969, 95 n wn 4/4 Screening: Faces (Cassavetes, 1968, 130 Nichls, Chapter 4, Strytelling and Narrative Fictin Film ( ) 4/5 Discuss Faces and 1960s and 1970s independent film 4/7 Discuss Easy Rider and the New Hllywd Carney, Nncntemplative Art: Faces (CP 25-44) Berra, Ancestry f Independence (CP 45-72) Respnse t Easy Rider due by nn via GPst Student presentatin 4/8-4/10 Screen Pulp Fictin (Tarantin, 1994, 154 n wn 4/11 Screening: sex. lies, and videtape (Sderbergh, 1989, 100 Clip anntatin assignment intrduced 4/12 Discuss sex. lies, and videtape and independent film f the 1980s and 1990s Student presentatin 4/14 Discuss Pulp Fictin Student presentatin Nichls, Chapter 6, Institutinal and Natinal Cntexts ( ); Levy, The New American Independent Cinema (CP 73-92) Perren, Sex, Lies and Marketing (CP ); Andelman and Paternstr, Tward a Universal Cinema (CP ) Nichls, Chapter 5, Three Fundamental Styles: Realism, Mdernism and Pstmdernism ( ) Respnse t Pulp Fictin due by nn via GPst

5 Date Activity Reading Due 4/18 Screening: Dead Man (Jarmusch, 1995, 121 4/19 Discuss Dead Man and genre Student presentatin 4/21 Discuss idelgy and American independent film Nichls, Chapter 7, Genre Films ( ) Nichls, Chapter 8, Idelgy and the Cinema ( ) Respnse t Dead Man due by nn via GPst 4/22 Clip anntatin due by nn via Viddler 4/25 Screening: Screen D the Right Thing, Lee, 1989, 120 Essay 1 assignment intrduced 4/26 Class canceled Respnse t D the Right Thing due by nn via GPst 4/28 Discuss D the Right Thing Nichls, Chapter 9, Race and Ethnicity in Film ( ) Jhnsn, Plyphny and Cultural Expressin (CP Online) Student presentatin 4/29-5/1 Screen Far Frm Heaven (Haynes, 2002, 107 n wn 5/2 Screening: Pisn, (Haynes, 1991, 85 5/3 Discuss Pisn and New Queer Cinema Student presentatin 5/5 Discuss Far Frm Heaven Student presentatin 5/9 Screening: My Own Private Idah (van Sant, 1991, 104 5/10 Discuss My Own Private Idah Student presentatin 5/12 Class canceled fr individual essay cnferences MacDnald, Frm Undergrund t Multiplex (CP, ); Aarn, New Queer Cinema: An Intrductin (CP Online) Nichls, Chapter 10, Gender and Masculinity ( ); Higgins, Orange and Blue, Desire and Lss (CP Online) Bergbusch, Additinal Dialgue (CP Online) Respnse t Far Frm Heaven due by nn via GPst Respnse t My Own Private Idah due by nn via GPst

6 Date Activity Reading Due 5/16 Screening: Winter s Bne (Granik, 2010, 100 5/17 Discuss Winter s Bne Student presentatin 5/19 Optinal Essay 1 draft wrkshp Nte: SIFF begins Nichls, Chapter 11, Feminism and Film ( ) Respnse t Winter s Bne due by nn via GPst Tw hard cpies f Essay 1 draft (ptinal fr thse participating in the wrkshp) 5/20 Essay 1 due by nn via Cllect It 5/23 Screening: The Puffy Chair (Duplass Brthers, 2005, 85 and Humpday (Sheltn, 2009, 94 5/24 Discuss The Puffy Chair and Humpday Lim, "A Generatin Finds Its Mumble," Taubin, All Talk? and Sheltn interview, "That's What Friends Are Fr" (CP Online) Respnse t The Puffy Chair r Humpday due by nn via GPst Student presentatins 5/26 Discuss The Puffy Chair and Humpday 5/27-5/30 Screen Inland Empire (Lynch, 2006, 180 n wn 5/30 Memrial Day 5/31 Discuss Inland Empire and DVD/web distributin f independent films Clarke, Daydream Believer (CP Online) 6/2 Discuss SIFF films Respnse t selected SIFF film due by nn via GPst 6/7 Essay 2 due by nn via Cllect It